The New Dress



Virginia Woolf (1882 to 1941, London) was an English novelist and essayist. She is considered a modernist writer of the 20th century and pioneer of the 'stream of consciousness' as a narrative device. The glimpses of early modern feminism can easily be traced in her writing. 'The Voyage Out', 'To the Lighthouse', 'Orlando' and 'Mrs. Dalloway' are her remarkable novels. A Haunted House' is her famous short story collection from which the present story 'The New Dress' is adapted. 

The present story is about a Mabel Waring, who is constantly thinking about her new yellow dress in negative terms. She herself has chosen the design, colour and pattern of the dress which she has decided to 

wear for a party at Mrs Dalloway. However, at that party she keeps thinking that the dress is old fashioned and everyone in the party is mocking at her dress. She thinks that she is a fly at the edge of the saucer, drowning deep and deep, as she comes seriously under the spell of her own negative mind and in a depression leaves the party. To show Mabel's suppressed desires, unfulfilled ambitions and meagre financial conditions of her childhood, Virginia Woolf has employed the stream of consciousness technique very effectively. 


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